CUA Law professor Mary Graw Learywas interviewed by Cox News regarding the just released FBI crime statistics report. Professor Leary spoke about the significance of the new statistics, as well as the need to process these numbers within the context of data from other surveys regarding violent crime in America. See below.

FBI crime stats reveal slight drop nationwide

Date: October 1, 2015
By Kyla Campbell - Cox Washington

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The number of violent crimes reported nationwide in 2014 dropped slightly, by .2 percent.

That includes murders, robberies and assaults.

"It tells us long term that crime is generally holding steady, and that's a good trend," said Mary Graw Leary, a professor at Columbus School of Law at Catholic University. "But I think it¹s one piece of data amongst a constellation of data when we're looking at crime in America."

Analysts say it's important to remember that not all crimes committed are reported to police and the FBI.

"We know that less than half of violent victimizations are even reported to police," Leary said.

The FBI found that nationwide, rapes increased by 2.5 percent. Analysts say an increase in reported crimes can be a good sign that people are comfortable coming forward to police.

"Anything that increases reporting crime to the police is good, because that increases public safety," Leary said.

The FBI said it will start collecting information on police officers' use of force in non-fatal shooting incidents.

The report marked the first time that the FBI followed human trafficking arrests. The field office in Cincinnati made at least four arrests for human trafficking last year.
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